Russell Westbrook SELECTED BY: Seattle SuperSonics, Round 1(4)

SI Rank 9 GRADING SYSTEM

BIOGRAPHY: Westbrook has declared for the draft, but hasn't hired an agent, leaving the door open for him to return to college for his junior year. While Westbrook would no doubt benefit from another season at UCLA, he has created quite a stir among NBA scouts, some of whom consider him the strongest prospect among a group of UCLA players that also includes Kevin Love, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Josh Shipp. In his sophomore season, Westbrook logged 33.8 minutes per game, up from just 9.0 as a freshman, and averaged 12.7 points and 4.3 assists. His work ethic and willingness to improve is clear - he was a mid-major prospect before growing five inches late in his high school career, and has become an important part of one of the best college programs in the country. Westbrook is a bit too big to be a natural point guard, and too small for a shooting guard, but has a solid frame and huge wingspan. That size, along with a quick first step and great athleticism, allow him to be explosive getting to the rim, and a good scorer in transition. He is also a tremendous defender, and shut down Pac-10 guards like O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless and James Hardin. However, Westbrook has plenty to improve on - his ball handling can sometimes be subpar, he lacks polish as a point guard, and while he has a decent jump shot, he does not take many 3s. Still, Westbrook's upside will overshadow most of his flaws, and he could end up being a lottery pick.